Mad Monday

Does the NRL need to do something to promote and advertise the game in the US? YES!

Origin is a unique beast. Its two states in Australia bashing each other in what many pundits believe, sadly in my opinion, to be the pinnacle of Rugby League.

It'd be almost akin to taking the Superbowl and playing it at Eric Weissel oval in Wagga Wagga.

It won't have the impact that the games administrators in the US believe it will. A revolution doesn't happen from watching one game, especially when the rival code is loved and highly respected by all and sundry in that same country.

What the US needs is a regular fixture, that does have importance in the Rugby League World, not just exhibition and trial games.

Constantly playing meaningless games there does nothing. It's an advertisement sure, but it just says "We don't honestly think you'll be interested in playing this game at a competitive level, but if you do, that'd be swell!"

There have been dribs and drabs of games played in the US by Australian, British, French and New Zealand sides for many decades now. The fact that the game hasn't taken off as a seriously major rival to Gridiron in that time shows that not enough people in America are taking the game seriously.